SYRIZA’s nominee for the Presidency of the Greek Republic, Louka Katseli was hosted on Mega channel, on the morning of Wednesday, January 29. Katseli addressed issues regarding the role of the president in the Greek political environment, her own nomination by SYRIZA, the other two presidential candidates and the role the president could play in a case like the Tempi train tragedy.
Katseli initially said that her nomination by SYRIZA’s leader Socratis Famellos shocked her, as it was totally unexpected.
“I was taken by surprise, I didn’t expect it, I thought about it a lot, and in the end, I decided to accept this honorary proposal for two reasons,” she said.
Katseli justified her decision to accept, explaining that her belief is that the role of the Greek president, though symbolic, is very important at a time of economic, political and social turmoil.
“This role must be political and based on broader consensus between parties and organizations; it must also set a direction for where we want to take our country in the next ten years,” she emphasized.
Despite the president’s role not involving the exercise of public policy, according to Katseli it should include setting goals for the country. She noted that the president must inspire the nation and work towards avoiding a new financial crisis and protecting Greece’s sovereign rights.
Furthermore, she expressed her deep concern over the undermining of democratic institutions in Greece, in Europe and globally, as well as the disengagement of people from politics and collective action, in recent years.
Regarding the fragmentation of the center-left, Katseli said that one of the reasons she decided to get involved is because it’s time for all parties to make a breakthrough.
“Let’s not look at what is good for each party, but what the country needs. Let’s listen to the demands of ordinary people. Everyone tells me to do something so that we can unite and have a unified popular front. Unfortunately, the parties are not ready,” she admitted.
Regarding her co-nominees for the presidency, Kostas Tasioulas from New Democracy and PASOK’s Tasos Giannitsis, Katseli said that she respects them both, despite having followed different political paths, and not seeing eye to eye on many issues.
However, she criticized PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ decision to choose a candidate with an ND background. “Today, there is a need for broader party and social acceptance,” she claimed.
Concluding Katseli also addressed the role the President of the Republic could play in the Tempi train accident case.
“The President of the Republic could put the focus on the processes. The President is the guarantor of processes, not outcomes. The President is the guarantor of substantive democracy. The processes must be carried out correctly, in a transparent way. When there are doubts, delays, or suspicions of cover-ups, or when the findings are not coming out as they should, the President has a decisive role,” she stressed.